Hey guys. Been a while, eh?

So it's been a long few years. Still, I've just been struggling to summon the strength and, to an extent, the courage to write this. I'm not going into specifics, though; I just want to get back to writing this. Suffice to say, though, a few strangers have come up to me and gave me the strength and courage necessary to at least continue this story. I do want to finish it, I really do. I have scenarios in my head, events clear in my mind. Plus, I commissioned a cover for this fic and I'd hate for it to go to waste. Not to mention, I just finished university and passed my final assignments with flying colours so I'm quite happy and loaded with free time.

So, if you're still reading this... thanks for the patience, however unwarranted it is. Please forgive me if some details seem out of place, though; I've forgotten quite a bit in my hiatus. I've been rereading older chapters to get a clearer grasp on what's transpired and who knows what but, if you'd all also do me the great honour to remind me, I'd be very happy.

Alright, enough chatter! When we last left our hero and heroines, they were beating the dust out of Arfoire but she left. Now it's time to check on Vert. Here comes...

Chapter 36: Difficult Choices

Led by Yvoire and IF, the group of nine raced through the white halls of Leanbox's Basilicom. They found the door to Vert's audience chamber in short order and opened it with surprising ease; there wasn't a single lock barring them, or even a barrier sealing the way in. However, upon entering the room, the group was more surprised by something else. Off to the side near the glass dome, of which a panel was cracked, was a standing person-sized bubble made of some shifting purple matter that looked far too much like to magic.

"What in the world is that?!" asked Nisa.

"I dunno but I'm willing to bet Vert's inside," Jacob answered.

Yvoire gripped his trident with tremendous indecision. "What do we do? We cannot attack it, lest we risk harming Vert."

Gust paced closer and inspected the object. "Gust's never seen anything like this. No idea how to dispel i... Huh?"

5pb walked towards the object with uncanny confidence, which caused the confusion in Gust and everyone else. She stood before the magical object and drew her guitar.

"Uh, 5pb?" began IF. "What are you doing?"

The only sound to come from the idol was the click of her heart-shaped pick being pulled off her choker. Closing her eyes and taking a breath, she started tickling the strings of her guitar.

Then she sang.

"Kono sekai ni umareta sono imi wa

Sadame ni ayatsurareru tame janai

Dakishimete mamoritakute kakegae no nai kokoro wo..."

The azure songstress and her guitar began glowing blue ever so slightly. At the same time, the bottom of the dark ovoid started to brighten and turn the very same colour. Like it was being calmed by her voice, the shifting magic shifted no longer.

"What is going on here...?" Yvoire asked, awestruck.

"Kakushin mezasu mabushiki daichi

Omoiegaku totouki risou yoake ni haseru negai"

The changes to the bottom of the bubble crawled up the shape. Once the verse reached its conclusion, the entire construct was blue and still.

"Haruka kanata kara kikoeru kasuka ni watashi wo yobu koe

Kioku wo kousaku sasete atsui kizamizuita"

The bubble, once opaque and thick, began to thin out and become transparent. Through the sapphire veil, the floating silhouette of a woman could be seen, sitting curled.

"Yuruginai omoi wo himeta hitomi

Yami no naka ni hikari wo motarashita

Te wo nobasou mirai e ima

Kizutsuita tte nani mo kowaku wa nai"

The ovoid faded out of existence, as if the blue essence of 5pb's song peeled it out of the air. Green Heart's sleeping form was left floating in the air.

"Yasashii kimi ga soko ni iru kara"

The bubble had completely vanished. Green Heart's body fell softly to the ground.

With the song concluded, silence settled in once more. As Green Heart and her cage were no longer a spectacle, the party and Yvoire turned to look at 5pb, mouths agape.

Once it settled in that 5pb was the center of attention, her confidence vanished like a bird flying out the way of a car. "Wh-What?" she stammered. "Is something wro—?"

"That was amazing!" IF cheered in shock. "What the heck was that? Your songs are great but I didn't know you could do that!"

"Um, that was... just... one of my abilities..." the idol answered with a gradually lessening volume. "My... singing can do that. Heal people, that is."

"The holy singing that purifies evil... Justice itself surfs on your voice...!" Nisa's eyes twinkling in holy admiration.

"That... That's actually extremely useful..." Compa muttered.

"Ahhhhh..." 5pb leaned back from all the attention, perhaps as a safety measure so that the heat of her red face didn't burn anyone else. "A-A-Wh-What about the lady?"

Priorities took over once again. Everyone looked at the slumping figure of Green Heart and IF recognised her immediately. "Hey, it's that lady again, the one that looks like Purple Heart. She was here after all."

"... IF," Jacob began with a very warning tone of voice.

"Alright, greenie!" Neptune rolled up her sleeves and marched right to the slumping woman, whereupon she crouched down and pointed at her threateningly. "I wanna know where Vert is and you're gonna tell me! Understood?"

"GYAAAAAH!" Jacob roared and lunged forward towards Neptune—

"Sir Jacob, please restrain yourself!" Yvoire hooked his arms under Jacob's to restrain him. "We need the assistance of Neptune as of current! You can deal with her later!"

"But I want to deal with her now!"

Green Heart began to groan. The lids of her eyes sluggishly crawled back as she forced them open with Neptune in front of her. "Nep-Nep...? Is that you...?"

"The one and only until the sequels come out! Now where's Vert?"

"Ugh..." Green Heart's body glowed with a green light that faded as soon as it appeared, leaving Vert to take her place. "Right... here..."

"... Oh." Neptune's confrontational attitude vanished quickly.

"..." IF looked at Jacob. "You knew all along, didn't you?"

Jacob's head was slumped. Yvoire let him go yet Jacob didn't make a single move or even a sound.

"It was kinda obvious, when you think about it," Neptune said to IF.

IF nodded. "I mean, the Iffy and the Nep-Nep... Who else would say that?"

Jacob lifted his head. There was neither anger nor sorrow in his eyes; only disappointment and emptiness.

"..." IF and Neptune bowed their heads to avoid his cold, dead gaze. "We're sorry..."

"Are you... done yet...?" asked Vert. "I... need to... tell you something..."

"Lady Green Heart, please save your strength," advised Yvoire as he went to his CPU's side. "You need some rest after that torment."

"No..." Vert made the effort to push herself off the ground but her fatigue left her only managing to sit up. "This is... too important..."

"Um, I-I think I can help..." Taking her pick and guitar in hand once more, 5pb sang again. "Kono sekai ni umareta sono imi wa..."

"Huh...?" Vert was curious about the tingling sensation that flowed through her body. A blue aura coated her and its magic seemed to seep into her pores. As 5pb sang, her fatigue and pain were washed away. For the first time since waking up, Vert actually felt energised. "What, what was that? I feel... completely better! I didn't even know this was possible!"

IF answered in the idol's place. "Healing magic. She seems to be one of those magical singers."

"Oh my goodness...!" Vert eyed 5pb with amazement and adoration in equal measure. "To think my landmass hosted such a miracle... We must enjoy an afternoon together one day! I simply must learn more about you!"

"A-Uh-Eh-Oh-Uh-No-Um-Ee-A-A-A-A-A-A-A..." The idol's face returned to its natural shade of red as she hid behind IF.

"Ahem." Jacob cleared his throat to catch the CPU's attention. "So what exactly happened? We found you in some black magic bubble."

"Ah, that..." Vert averted her gaze as Yvoire helped her up onto her feet. "Truly, it is hard for me to believe it myself but... my assailant was none other than Conversation, the Evangelist."

"Oh, that? We already knew that," said IF. "We fought her outside."

"You fought her?" Vert shot a look of shock and concern shot to IF. "Are you alright?"

"It was hard but we made it through," answered the Moderatist with a roll of her arm.

"My lady, that Evangelist was little more than an imposter," Yvoire spoke up. "Her true identity is that of a wicked witch."

"I deduced that much, Yvoire," Vert responded.

"No, I mean... Ugh." The Archbishop faced the party. "I suppose you eight know more than I do. Please, in my stead, tell my lady the true nature of that imposter."

"I'd be happy with that," added Red while 5pb nodded in agreement. "I dunno anything about any Arfoire."

The CPU's reaction to hearing that name wasn't one that anyone could've expected. Vert stared at Red with surprise and confusion, breathless for a moment. "How do you know Arfoire?"

Jacob hesitated a bit. "We, um... fought her before. Back on Planeptune. She tried to kill us."

"But... that can't be right—"

"Hang on just a minute!" Neptune interrupted. "How do you know her? I thought she was just some random old lady who'd be relevant later. How's she important?"

"Have you really forgotten that much?" Vert's tone began to rise, causing the party to lean back a tad. "Do you truly, honestly not remember Arfoire?"

"H-Hey, back up a bit, before you go so far right that you can't." Neptune held up her hands, hoping that it alone would be sufficient to ward Vert from invading her space further. "I remember nuthin'. Ever since I woke up, it's just been a whole new game for me without an instruction manual to provide backstory. I only know my name because someone told me."

The CPU's expression could only be described as reluctant, painful belief. Her gaze fell to the ground as she held her hands in front of her. They clenched far harder than what was healthy and her face tightened.

"My lady?" Yvoire asked softly.

"... Yvoire," began the goddess, her features relaxing, "I'd like you to guard the Basilicom entrance."

"... Of course, my lady." The Archbishop reluctantly turned and exited out the door, his footsteps echoing back to the nine through the corridor.

With a sigh, Vert looked up at the party. "If my assailant truly was Arfoire, then you must know. As you may have noticed, she is no ordinary foe. She possesses strange and terrifying powers." The CPU couldn't hold her gaze with the party any longer and her eyes fell to the floor. "There is a very good reason for that. Arfoire... is the genesis of the CPUs."

The weight of that information didn't hit the party immediately; it was so outrageous that the first thought to spring to mind was that it couldn't possibly be true that Arfoire—the witch that relished in her sin and was all too willing to kill—was responsible for creating Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and Vert.

"Wait..." said IF. "You're saying... she's, like, your mother or something?"

Vert nodded. "Not in the technical sense but she is our progenitor all the same."

"But, but, but!" Neptune cut in. "She's totally evil! She's ugly! She dresses like a villain! There's no way she could be my momma!"

"And yet that is the case," Vert replied. "The one who attacked me... was the one who raised me. The one who told me that I could save the world was none other—"

"Wait," Jacob butted in, "what are you talking about?"

"I'd... rather not say. In any event, it's unimportant—"

"Is that how the Console War started?"

The goddess bit her lip. "... Yes," she admitted, her voice so low that it nearly went unheard. "At least, it spurned me into action."

"Wait, then if Arfoire convinced you to fight the other CPUs," IF began, "then could Arfoire have done the same to the other CPUs?"

"Yes she did! Lady Noire talked about this as well!" Nisa exclaimed. "She said that Blanc mentioned the 'former goddess' told her... something! About Celestia and True Goddesses! Arfoire must be that former goddess!"

5pb raised a finger. "Um...?"

"We'll fill you in later, I promise," assured Compa.

IF crossed her arms. "So wait... Arfoire is the former goddess and she told at least you and Blanc that you needed to fight for the betterment of the world by becoming the True Goddess or whatever. She was trying to set you all on each other so that only one of you remained."

"N-No!" Vert protested. "She was l-like a mother to me! She wouldn't be so heartless to have us try to kill each—"

"Vert," Jacob cut in, taking a step forward. "I know it's hard but she did try to seal you. I really don't think she has the best intentions in mind, now or back then."

Vert didn't answer. Her face contorted but she couldn't open her mouth to answer properly.

"Lady Green Heart, we need to find her," Nisa spoke, firm yet reasonable. "Do you know where she might have gone?"

"I think... Yvoire told me that Conv... Arfoire planned to leave for somewhere today... That's right, a dungeon. She said she was leaving alone on business." Vert's expression looked even more pained. "Alone in a dungeon, teeming with monsters as always... How did I not see that as suspicious?"

"Hey, hey, it's not your fault," IF assured.

"It... is my fault..." Vert's voice was soft, drained of strength. "I have to confront her. I need answers from her. About all this."

"Cool! That makes nine of us," said Neptune. "We need to track 'er down. Let's find her!"

"... You're right." The green goddess stood up. Her voice was no longer fatigued but invigorated. "This has gone on long enough. This is my nation and I will not allow it to be toyed with any further than it already has. Nep-Nep, Jacob, Iffy, and the rest of you." She cast her gaze amongst the seven girls and one boy that stood before her. "I was a fool to think I could handle this alone but I won't fall to my own folly this time. If you would extend your abilities to me, we will see Arfoire's justice done."

"Alright!" Neptune jumped in the air and punched her first skyward. "We're so gonna show that Arbore what happens when you... uh, are a bad guy!"

Vert smirked, and mirthfully at that. "In that case, try to keep up!" She quickly ran out the doors with a renewed spirit.

"Hey, no fair! We didn't have a countdown!" Neptune hurriedly gave chase to the CPU and the rest of the party followed, an air of competition surrounding them.

Vert was surprisingly faster than the rest of the party, given the trauma and shock and information dump she had just suffered, but they were determined to catch up. They dashed outside the Basilicom—

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

No sooner than the party heard Vert's scream did they all draw their weapons at once. "What's wrong?" IF called out before she took in her surroundings and saw exactly what was wrong. "... Oh."

The gondola was wrong. It was crushed. The windows were broken. It was beyond repair, plain and simple. Vert stood petrified with her hands holding her face.

"Wh-What happened? What happened to the gondola?!" Vert cried.

"Oh yes..." Yvoire sighed, standing right next to the door. "In the prior excitement, I forgot to tell you that adventuring party destroyed it."

"Hey!" shouted Gust. "That was Nisa's fault! Not Gust's!"

"That said, I'm glad you at least cheered up a bit," said Jacob. "Relatively, anyway."

Whining, Vert dropped her knees and her hands dragged down her face in a similar manner. "Now what are we meant to do? How will anyone visit the Basilicom?"

"And I need to get home," Yvoire added, tapping the end of his trident on the ground.

"Maybe you should've built the Basilicom on the mainland so people wouldn't have to go over what looks like a bottomless chasm who knows how deep?" Jacob offered, his fists on his hips.

"But the Basilicom is perfectly fine where it is!" Vert's eyes flickered for a moment before they found and locked onto IF. "Iffy! You agree, right?"

"U-Um..." IF was less inclined to meet Vert's gaze. "I-I'm... I think Jacob has a point... Sorry."

"I... Iffy, why...?" Vert sobbed, looking absolutely heartbroken at the Moderatist. "Was our time together not special? Did I not let you play on my console enough? Did the zombies put you off that much? I'll make it up to you, I swear!"

"I-I mean—"

"Save it, IF!" Nisa thrust out her hand. "I shall solve this matter just as I caused it!"

The heroine of justice punched into her palm as she marched to the misshapen pile of scrap. Once she stood before it, she drew her leg back...

Jacob caught onto her plan all too late. "SENSEI, NO!"

"JUSTICE KICK!"

With a mighty swing of her leg and a CRUNCH and a BANG of metal, what remained of the gondola was sent flipping over the trees and down over the edge of the island. Not that anyone could see that for the trees but there was no sound of the gondola impacting ground.

Nisa dusted her hands, smirking proudly and completely oblivious to the disbelieving gawping of everyone else. "Out of sight, out of mind."

Far far away, a highway was extremely busy and yet not busy at all. It was busy as it was absolutely packed with cars lined end to end. It was not busy because, for the longest time, not a single one of these cars moved. In one of these cars sat John and Hannah.

"—a porcupine (Say what?) / Oh, I'm the kinda—"

"Crap," John muttered as he changed the radio station.

"—right cause I love the way you—"

"Crap."

"—and I say to him, why didn't you just pick it up? And you'd think he—"

"Nothing."

"—sleep / Dreaming about the things that—"

"Nothing."

"Hey, I liked that one," Hannah complained.

"Well, I didn't." John sighed as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. "This is taking forever..."

A minute passed in complete silence.

"Hurry up already...!" John grumbled.

"God, calm down," said Hannah, rolling her eyes. "We're almost at the end."

"I know!" John groaned as his head fell onto the steering wheel. "Bloody horrible day. Three hours just to pick up a new couch and it's been stolen. Thanks for telling us in advance, prick! We didn't waste any of our time at all!"

"Dad, there's room right there. Drive u... Wait, do you hear that?" asked Hannah, looking up sort of like how a dog would. She could hear a kind of whistling in the air, and it was getting closer and closer. "Seriously, what is—"

"OH MY GOD!" someone screa—

CRASH!

An object crashed right in front of their car.

Something roughly car-sized and made of metal.

...

Their thought processes weren't exactly up to speed. Were they a car length or two further up, it would've crushed them into the most unrecognisable pile ever. It didn't help that the crash was so loud that it disoriented them and probably every other driver close by. But when the initial shock was over and done with, they could at least begin to take in what just happened.

A giant metal structure had just fallen from the sky right into the space directly in front of them. Miraculously in a relative sense, it didn't take up any other lanes so the other cars were free to keep going unhindered right after the cars in front of them stopped taking pictures on their phones and moved forward. John and Hannah, however, couldn't move forward at all and they were far too close to it to try and turn around it. They'd have to reverse to make some room, which would require the increasingly diminishing patience and understanding of the drivers behind them.

"..."

John turned on his indicator.

"Sensei, that was extremely irresponsible of you," Jacob scolded Nisa as he pointed right at her pouting face.

"If you're going to make such a fuss about it, it's only natural for a heroine of justice to take care of it," she grumbled.

"This is not what I wanted to wake up to..." Vert squeaked.

"Okay, enough!" shouted Jacob. "The gondola's out so that means only the flyers can get to the mainland. That means myself, Neptune, and Vert can carry someone each but there's no way we can carry everyone safely unless someone wants to risk following the gondola."

"Jacob, we just barely managed to fight off Arfoire," IF argued. "Don't play the hero. Stay here. If she comes back, we need all the help we can get."

Jacob sighed. "Okay, fine."

"Hold it right there!" Neptune called out before sidling up to IF. "Iffy, come play with us. We'll bag the bad guy and become heroes!"

IF leaned back. "What have I told you? We're staying here because, frankly, I'm exhausted and so's everyone else. Fighting off the mother of the CPUs tends to take a lot out of you."

"But—"

"Neptune," IF's voice lowered as she spoke right to Neptune's face, "my answer is no."

"..." Neptune closed her eyes tight. "Alright, fine..."

"I can assist with refreshments, if you would like," Yvoire offered.

"No offence but I don't exactly trust you," Jacob responded.

"Well, I must say that I take a great deal of offence to—"

"Yvoire," Vert cut in. "Jake, Iffy, 5pb, and Red are hereby granted access to the kitchen and dining rooms of the Basilicom. They may dine at their leisure. Within reason, of course."

"... Yes, my Lady."

Vert and Neptune faced away from the Basilicom. In two divine flashes of purple and green light, their HDD forms took their places.

With two cries of "Let's go!", the two CPUs, along with Compa, Nisa, and Gust, ran and flew through the trees and to the edge of the island.

Seeing them depart, Red nodded. "Okay!" She and 5pb turned to look at IF and Jacob. "So are you going to tell us just what that was all about?"

Jacob sighed. "After I drink some milk. I'm thirsty. And hungry. Hey Yvoire, do you have any chocolate?"

"... Allow me to check."

The dungeon in question turned out to be yet another cave lit up by green crystals.

"That heinous scum has cornered herself!" Nisa declared. "In a dungeon with only one way in and out, only the greatest of dexterity could allow her to escape us at the back of this dungeon!"

"Not true," Gust countered in a very know-it-all fashion. "This dungeon type has exit, which works as escape route."

Purple Heart crossed her arms. "How could it be used as an escape route? We're on a floating island that is incredibly small. If Jacob, Iffy, Red, and Fivey were here, they could just wait outside if Arfoire tried to retreat."

Vert blinked. "Well, she can't stay here forever. Perhaps we could do that instead?"

"No. That would be boring." Purple Heart drew her katana. "Let's go."

Planeptune's CPU took point while Compa, Nisa, and Gust walked alongside her. Vert, after blinking away her confusion at Purple Heart's answer, trailed behind the party.

In no time at all, two Mist Dragons opposed the party. The wyverns were a head taller than IF and their scales were teal and they had pale yellow underbellies. Two large horns pointed backwards from their heads and their snouts pointed down at the tip like the beaks of a vulture. They stood on two feet and their thick, long claws hung at their sides, ready to be swung like deadly maces. Compared to the thickness of their arms, the webbings that protruded from them looked more like the fins of a fish than wings.

Purple Heart readied her katana. Compa took out her syringe, Gust her broom, and Nisa her prinny gun.

Compa looked back at Vert and noticed she hadn't drawn anything at all. "Lady Green Heart, are you going to fight?"

"Hm?" Vert looked to her left and right. She then looked back at Compa. "Wait, are you supposing I fight alongside you?"

"Why not? Do you need a battle ticket?"

"A battle what?"

"I'll take that as a no, even if my student wouldn't..." Nisa grumbled.

"Leave CPU alone," said Gust with surprising authority. "Still recovering from assault."

Vert smiled at the alchemist. ""Thank you. I'll just stand here and not get in the way."

"Fair enough." Purple Heart raised her katana in the air, its blade enveloped in a blazing purple aura... "Neptune Break!"

The enemies, as usual, proved trivial. Trekking through the dungeon was as monotonous as ever but, finally, the party came upon the familiar pair of tall if narrow stone doors that signalled the dungeon's exit. Surprisingly, the doors were open and led into another room. In the center of that room stood the silhouette of the Evangelist.

"Arfoire..." Purple Heart darkly muttered the name, concealing herself behind one side of the exit. "Why is she here of all places? Is she waiting for someone?"

"It looks like it. Perhaps she is waiting for that man over there?" Vert responded, peering around from the other side. Purple Heart gazed as well and saw a fancy-looking silhouette walking up to Arfoire. In his left hand was a wine glass.

"Jade...?" Purple Heart's mutter was so quiet she might as well have just mouthed the name.

"L-Lady Green Heart, please," Compa urged the un-transformed CPU back behind the doors.

Jade greeted 'Conversation' with a polite nod. "We're ready. We can proceed anytime. What about the Basilicom? There is no point if they will just surrender. Are you sure they will fight back?"

"Lady Green Heart is absent... That provides us with the perfect opportunity..." The Evangelist grunted slightly. "Yvoire, the Archbishop, is fanatically devoted to Leanbox... While the CPU is absent, he's in charge, and manipulating him is like putting a steak in front of a starving dog..."

With Jade being a silhouette, it was hard to tell but it was highly possible he raised an eyebrow. "You do not sound well. Is something amiss?"

"I... ran into some trouble on the way here... It is nothing..."

"Hm..." Jade pulled out a Reflex bottle and handed it to her. "Then this will ease that 'nothing'."

A small rumbling sounded from 'Conversation'. It was far too quiet from anyone else to hear but it was like an infant growl. "... Your concern is appreciated," she remarked, unenthused, as she drank from the battle. She got more into it than her demeanour would have suggested; in seconds, the bottle was emptied and separated from her lips with a pleased sigh and promptly dropped onto the ground, shattering into pieces. "Ah... That actually did help a bit."

"Helping female trouble-bounds is a pastime of mine," said Jade.

Purple Heart did her best to balance between an unobstructed view of the two silhouettes and cover behind the door. "I can't hear them too well from back here but they are definitely familiar with each other... How long has this been going on?"

"Haven't I met that boy before?" asked Vert.

"Y-Yes..." Compa answered meekly. "His name's Jade. He's an orphan. He saved us after Nep-Nep was poisoned."

Vert's eyes narrowed. "What a good samaritan."

"We've transported most of the weapons from Avenir," Jade continued. "They won't know who's who. If it's okay, let's raid my home tomorrow. Once we spread word it was the Basilicom's doing, the Aristocrats won't be able to sit quietly...!"

"Whatever advantage of numbers the Basilicom has, your weaponry far excels theirs..." The Evangelist chortled. "Those ancient fools won't even know what to do when confronted with Lastation's weapons..."

"Indeed. Thanks to that, our leader's more confident than ever. I owe a ton to the Guild in Lastation." Jade rose his glass in a celebratory manner.

"... Vert, it appears you are not alone in treachery. I put my faith in him, as did his father and leader." In a flash of light, obscured from Jade and 'Conversation' by the door, Purple Heart's sword appeared in her hand. "Let us repay the favour."

"Didn't they say something about a raid?" asked Nisa in a hushed tone. "Shouldn't that be quashed?"

"Indeed. Right here, right now!" With that cry, Purple Heart flew into the room and zoomed right towards the silhouetted duo. "ARFOIRE!"

Jade and the Evangelist quickly whirled around at the first shout but the second froze them both. "Neptune?!" they yelled in unison, while 'Conversation' brought out her barbed lance to block Purple Heart's savage slash but was still pushed back.

The Aristocrat bumbled with confusion as he watched Purple Heart and 'Conversation' exchange blows. "Who's Arfoire? And what's that's weap—OOPH!"

Nisa cut him off by tackling him to the ground. "I've apprehended Jade! Focus on Arfoire!"

"Right!" Compa and Gust broke out from cover with Vert towards the Evangelist.

"Hyah!" 'Conversation' lunged forward and Purple Heart jumped back to avoid it. As the witch tried to catch her breath—which was very short after the battle she just endured with Jacob, IF, Red, and 5pb—she briefly glanced over the party. Upon seeing Vert, she tensed. "How did you break out of my spell...?"

Vert glared at the silhouette. "Is there a point to keeping that disguise? Unveil that darkness and show us who you truly are. Your plan ends here."

The silhouette sighed as she stood up straighter. Again, the blackness that covered her form retreated so that her true form was bare to the party. No longer silhouetted, Arfoire's smirk was clear to see. "My darling. It truly has been too long since we could meet face to face like this."

"What in the world...?" breathed Jade.

Whatever composure Vert brought with her began to shake, along with her clenched fist. "What, exactly, is my tutor, my... parent... doing? Running these schemes to bring chaos even when she tells me that I need to save the world... Why? What is the point of these contradictions?!"

"I sincerely hope you're kidding, that you actually know the answer to your own question." Arfoire crossed an arm under her bust and tapped the side of her head with the index finger of her other hand. "Then again, as fitting of your name, you always were green." Her smirk shot wider. "Of course, I was lying."

Anger flashed across Vert's face before a flash of light engulfed her entire form. Once again in HDD, Green Heart pointed her drill lance at the witch. "So all of this was a lie? Did you truly deceive me and the other CPUs into infighting? For what purpose?"

"Not all of it. I did say only you could protect Gamindustri but do you truly think these recent happenings are my fault? Your Archbishop poisoned someone believed to be a citizen and the relations between the Aristocrats and Basilicom are hanging by a thread." Arfoire narrowed her eyes at Vert. "Perhaps that's your fault? Your negligence allowed this all to happen."

Vert froze for a moment.

"Don't listen to her," urged Purple Heart. "She's just trying to get to you."

Arfoire tsked a couple of times. "Oh, Neptune. As eager as always to get into the fight. You really should—"

Purple Heart zoomed forward and thrust out her sword but Arfoire saw the move coming and span around to the CPU's left side with her lance outstretched, the rotary motion bringing its barbs towards the CPU's head. Purple Heart barely managed to spin around and deflect the attack with her blade before she jumped back to put some distance between herself and Arfoire.

"I know how to take my own advice, thank you." Purple Heart placed her feet on the ground and brought her sword to her chest. "Now let me show you what I'm made of—"

"You won't use Neptune Break on me!" Arfoire fired a number of magic missiles in Purple Heart's direction. The CPU grunted and cancelled her attack to flew up out of harm's way. Upon reaching the ceiling, she flipped so that her feet planted on it. She pushed off to launch at Arfoire with a lunging stab but she only grazed the witch's sleeve as she hopped away from the weapon. Mid-hop, however, Green Heart closed in and thrust her spinning drill forwards. Arfoire quickly raised her lance to intercept it. A BZZCHTZZCHTZZCHTZZHCTZZHCT rang as the spinning grooves of the drill clashed against the nicks and hooks of the lance.

BANG!

"ARGH?!" grunted Arfoire as she was shot in the abdomen, the pain forcing her to break the block and allowing the drill to pass through. It failed to pierce the witch but it grazed her upper arm and ripped apart the upper section of her sleeve.

"Don't forget about us!" Compa cried out, standing next to Gust a short distance away while firing bullets from her syringe.

"Big mistake!" The alchemist fired one ball of light after another from her staff at Arfoire at the same time. Each shot pained Arfoire until she fell to her knees. Leanbox's CPU followed up with a kick that sent the witch sprawling towards the wall.

"Gngh..." Arfoire pushed herself off of the ground. She looked to the side and saw Purple Heart and Green Heart pointing their weapons as they looked down at her.

"You can't win," declared Purple Heart. "My friends have exhausted you and now you stand before two CPUs."

Despite her circumstances, Arfoire snickered. "Am I supposed to be scared...?" she grunted as she stood up on shaky legs. "You two are hardly CPUs... Neptune, Vert! You both have imperiled your own landmasses while you sought self-indulgent endeavours. Neither of you are fit to be the True Goddess!"

Green Heart tensed up.

Purple Heart gripped her sword tighter. "That's enough out of you!" She dashed forward yet again but Arfoire was ready this time; as Purple Heart swung horizontally, Arfoire ducked and thrust her palm onto the CPU's stomach. The palm glowed its sickly purple and exploded with magic energy.

"GYAH!" Purple Heart grunted as she was blown back by the point-blank magic missiles. Arfoire charged but Green Heart met with her and lunged with her lance. Arfoire dodged but Green Heart was very quick in drawing back and lunging again, forcing the witch to step back and dodge again and again. It reached the point where Arfoire was too slow to dodge, so she deflected the drill with her spear. Several deflections after, Green Heart swung her drill down on top of Arfoire, which she blocked by holding her weapon up. Now they were in a stalemate.

"Can you do it, Vert...?" Arfoire grunted. "Can you kill your own mother...?"

Green Heart tensed for the briefest of moments and it was then that Arfoire forced the drill away. She—

BANG!

"AGH!" —was shot once again by Compa and brought to a halt.

"Musical Words!" Gust called upon her trademark magic circle. The circle shot its beam through Arfoire but it alone had no effect. Once the circle disappeared, invisible bursts rocked Arfoire's body from head to toe.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Arfoire screamed in pain as the explosions continued for several painful seconds, kicking up green-blue dust all the while. After the earthshaking spell subsided, Arfoire fell to her knees. Her breath was ragged and she had no strength to say anything coherent.

Green Heart walked up to the witch's side and kicked her onto her back, eliciting an 'Ugh' of tired pain. She crouched down, seized Arfoire by the throat, and brought her revving drill back in preparation.

As Arfoire faced Green Heart's glower, she smirked. Even tired and thrashed, she looked like she had won. "You don't have what it takes..."

Green Heart grit her teeth and tensed but her grip on Arfoire's throat did not limpen. Her drill arm trembled.

The CPU breathed in through her nose. "GRAH!"

She thrust her arm forward with all her strength. Her drill ran through the witch's body and into the earth beneath it. The gasps of Purple Heart, Compa, and Gust were drowned out by the sound of the ground breaking apart.

No scream came from the witch. She gasped, her voice thin and strangled. Rather than blood, a near black-purple mist seeped from her wound like steam. She looked at Green Heart and grasped gently the arm that was loosening its hold on her neck.

"So you can do it... You... gh... You've surpassed... my expectations... You can do... what it takes to... protect your landmass... and make the... difficult choices..." As the strength faded from Arfoire's body, her expression shifted. She beheld Vert as she wore a smile that only a mother could wear. "I'm... so... proud... of you..."

Arfoire kept her hand on Green Heart's arm. It was getting difficult to see but she kept her gaze locked onto Green Heart, who looked back with eyes shaking and wide. Slowly, Arfoire closed her lids, keeping Green Heart's face the last thing she saw.

"Arfoire?" Green Heart muttered, and it was then that Arfoire's hand became limp and fell from her forearm. "Arfoire? Arfoire!"

No matter how much she shouted, her mother wouldn't respond. Green Heart hurriedly removed her drill but nothing would stop Arfoire's body from gradually becoming that dark mist. The evaporation spread out from the wound and travelled up Arfoire's body and down her legs. Seconds ticked by as Arfoire's body slowly disappeared, including her serene, smiling face. Once the tips of her fingers and hat vanished, the only proof of her presence remaining was the hole in the ground that Green Heart left.

The five girls that still lived, and their captive, were silent. Green Heart's drill-lance disappeared in a flash of light before she kneeled. She brought back her fist and pounded the earth.

"Um..." Compa stepped forward. "Lady Green Heart? Are you..."

Purple Heart grabbed Compa's shoulder to get her attention. The nurse looked at her CPU friend, who shook her head gently. "She needs space, Compa."

Compa looked down. "... Yeah, she does." She looked back at Leanbox's CPU, braced on the ground, trembling, shaking, and sobbing.